USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > West Bridgewater > Town annual reports of the selectmen, overseers of the poor, town clerk, and school committee of West Bridgewater for the year ending 1910-1914 > Part 11
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A second set of plans was drawn this time for a two room building, and bids called for.
The bids were as follows:
H. C. Briggs, $6,812 00;
J. T. Beals, 6,963 00;
Cole & Sawyer, 7,820 00;
Willard Hanson, 6,960 00;
John A. Jackson, 7,162 00.
Bids for heating were as follows:
Alden Sheet Metal Working & Metal Co., $736 00;
Stone Underhill Heating Co., 674 00.
In both cases contract was awarded to the lowest bidder.
The expenditures on account of the new building have been made as follows:
First Nat. Bank, Boston, certifying and preparing bonds. $45 00
H. C. Briggs, builder, 6,812 00
15
W. V. Howard, architect,
325 00
Stone Underhill Heating Co., heating plant,
674 00
Kenney Bros. & Wolkins, furniture,
416 50
U. C. Smith, two clocks,
8 00
Loring & Howard, curtains,
24 30
Otis F. Kinney, cleaning windows,
6 50
H. O. Davenport, grading,
61 75
L. A. Tower, car fare and minor expense,
10 00
Frank L. Howard,
2 50
A. D. Hatch, 16 chairs,
10 00
$8,395 95
Appropriation by town,
8,500 00
Balance unexpended,
$105 05
L. A. TOWER, Chairman.
TWENTIETH ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
To the School Committee of West Bridgewater.
The following report is submitted for your consideration:
TABLE OF STATISTICS, YEAR ENDING JUNE, 1911.
Population of the town, census of 1905,
2,231
Increase since census of 1910,
225
Number of schools,
13
Number of regular teachers required,
13
Number of regular teachers employed during the
year,
13
Number of special teachers,
2
SCHOOL CENSUS.
1910
1911
Number of boys between 5 and 15,
207
222
Number of girls between 5 and 15,
237
274
Total,
444
496
Number of boys between 7 and 14,
153
175
Number of girls between 7 and 14,
167
210
Total,
320
385
Number of male illiterate minors over 14 years,
1
Number of female illiterate minors over 14 years
0
17
SCHOOL RECORDS.
Year ending June, 1910.
Year ending June 1911.
Number of pupils enrolled,
409
434
Number of pupils enrolled between 5 and 15,
401
426
Number of pupils enrolled between 7 and 14
304
330
Number of pupils over 15,
8
Number of different pupils in at- tendance during the year,
447
472
Average membership,
393.53
420.05
Average attendance,
365.64
383.25
Per cent of attendance,
92.91
91.23
Aggregate of months schools have kept during the year,
109m., 9d
119m., 8d
Average number of months schools
have kept during the year,
9m., 2d
9m., 4d
ATTENDANCE BY SCHOOLS, YEAR ENDING JUNE, 1911.
SCHOOL.
Grades.
Total
Registration.
Average
Membership.
Average
Attendance.
Per cent. of
Attendance.
No. cases of
Tardiness.
Av. Tardiness
per Pupil for the year.
Center
IX
23
21.71
20.40
93.96
28
1.24
VIII
46
42.93
39.65
92.33
103
2.24
VI-VII
42
40.63
36.98
91.06
86
2.04
V-VI
37
35.95
32.14
89.46
24
.64
III-IV
29
27.59
25.00
90.66
6
.20
I-II
36
32.61
28.34
86.80
50
1.39
Cochesett Grammar
V-VII
41
31.86
29.16
91.50
27
.66
Cochesett Primary
I-IV
55
41.85
38.01
90.04
21
.38
North
I-IV
34
29.59
27.09
91.50
74
2.17
South
I-IV
32
28.32
25.95
91.53
49
1.53
East
I-V
32
30.11
26.91
89.38
17
.53
Matfield
I-VI
40
30.67
28.78
93.82
44
1.10
Jerusalem
I-VI
30
26.23
24.84
94.70
34
1.13
18
MEMBERSHIP BY GRADES, JANUARY, 1912.
SCHOOLS.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Totals.
Center .
Grade IX
41
41
Grade VIII
34
34
Grade VII
36
36
Grades VI-VII
30
8
38
Grades III-V Grades I-II
9
8
14
31
17
15
32
Cochesett Intermediate
11
9
9
29
Cochesett Primarye
10
15
8
33
North Intermediate
11
15
6
32
North Primary
19
14
9
42
South
6
9
6
9
30
East
4
6
4
6
7
27
Matfield
5
6
4
5
4
6
30
Jerusalem
3
5
3
4
6
3
24
Totals
64
70
43
54
55
54
44
34
41
459
REVIEW OF THE YEAR.
For the year ending last June the ranks of the teach- ing force remained unbroken, while during the calendar year 1911 there was but one resignation. Miss Annie L. Danforth resigned in June, after two years of service, and Miss Wood- bury was transferred from the East school to fill the vacancy thus occasioned. Miss Ellen M. O'Neil, a graduate of the Howard High School and of Bridgewater Normal School, was appointed to succeed Miss Woodbury. An additional teacher, Miss Minnie C. Cole, a graduate of Hyannis Normal School, was added to our force and assigned to the North Intermedi- ate school.
The event of chief interest the past year was the erection of the new shoolhouse on Sunset avenue. This two-room building, modern, commodious and well adapted to our pres- ent needs, can readily be enlarged to a four-room structure by duplicating the part already built. Enlarging this build-
19
ing is not a remote probability, for the primary room is already filled to overflowing, while the intermediate room has but ten vacant seats. There is a strong probability that by next September at the latest, we shall be obliged to reopen the old building to care for some of the pupils from that end of the district. Such a step will be justified also by the neces- sity of occupancy to ensure to the town the legal possession of this property.
The buildings at the Centre still have room to care for any normal increase that may come during the next few years, especially in the lower grades. It has been necessary recent- ly, however, to rearrange some of the classes to provide room for the seventh grade transferred from Cochesett, where we now have two schools of but three grades ach.
The published tables for the past few years show that our school population is increasing at the rate of about twenty- five pupils per year. Should this rate of growth continue, the town must face the problem of providing additional accommodations at the rate of two rooms every three years. This is a serious problem, but one which the citizens should face squarely and handle intelligently in the light of all avail- able facts. Rapid growth in town, or city, necessarily means greatly increased appropriations in nearly all departments. The school department feels this increase more, perhaps, than others, for the school population generally, as in our case, increases more rapidly than the total population of the town.
Reference to the attendance table will show a low record, 91.23, as compared with the records for previous years. This low record is due in a measure to a large amount of sickness among the pupils during the winter term. Contagious diseas- es in one form or another, interrupt the school work with more or less regularity from year to year. The state law, guarding the health of the pupils, requires that those who have been exposed to certain contagious diseases, as well as those who have actually contracted them, be excluded from school until danger of carrying the diseases to others has
20
passed. This very act of safeguarding, while it causes much absence, prevents in a large measure the spread of contagion, and to that extent prevents a still further lowering of attend- ance. The common cold, but little understood and often neg- lected, is responsible for much of the absence. Highly con- tagious, it runs through a family or a school, causing incon- venience and loss of time, if not actually weakening the sys- tem and making the victim more susceptible to the attacks of other disease germs. Under the best of conditions the schoolroom, especially in the older buildings, is but imper- fectly ventilated, though, perhaps, better off in this respect than some of the homes from which the pupils come. We try to teach" the doctrine of fresh air as a means of pre- serving health, but as long as children are crowded together in the schoolroom and are not quarantined for colds, we must expect a recurrence of the invasion every year as cold weath- er sets in.
Occasional absence for insufficient reasons also plays an important part in lowering the record of attendance, and is in reality more serious in its effect upon the individual and the school than are longer periods of absence occasioned by sickness. Each absence makes the next one easier, until the pupil needs but the slightest excuse to keep him at home, a slight headache, indisposition, or the desire to shirk some lesson or task assigned. Little by little the pupil loses his grip upon the work of the school, until at last he is hopeless- ly behind his grade and repetition of the year stares him in the face. This kind of absence is difficult to control, for it acts so insidiously, strikes its roots so deep and has its origin in causes at times difficult to understand or even determine. Chief among these may be mentioned misunderstandings between teacher and pupil, failure of the school to meet the needs of the child, outside interests, lack of ambition due sometimes to a conviction that the future has but little in store for the child, street influence, and, most potent of all, the indifference of one or both parents. Parents and
21
teachers should unite to protect the child against these influ- ences, and especially that of the street, which shows itself in lack of respect for elders and for constituted authority, and ih habits and practices which are positively injurious to moral and physical health. Pupils who have been subjected to this influence almost invariably stand low in their classes and are likely to be a source of trouble in school.
There is a slight increase in the number of cases of tar- diness for the year, but the average per pupil remains the same as for the previous year. Here again the influence of the teacher counts for much, but she must have the interest- ed assistance of the parents.
The tests for sight and hearing have been made with the following results: Number of pupils examined, 463; number with defective vision, 22; number with defective hearing, 5; number of parents notified, 22. For information regarding the general health of the pupils you are referred to the report of the medical inspector, which is incorporated with this report.
For the benefit of those who have children to enter school next September the compulsory vaccination law is again quoted in full: "A child who has not been vaccinated shall not be admitted to a public school except upon presen- tation of a certificate granted for cause stated therein, signed by a regular practicing physician, that he is not a fit subject for vaccination."
The work in music and drawing has been conducted for another year without change of supervisors. Recently my attention has been called to the fact that the music training received in our schools is meeting with the approval of pri- vate teachers to whom our pupils go for piano lessons. In her report to me the music supervisor says: " This appro- val from piano teachers is very much appreciated, because it proves that our work is saving valuable time to the chil- dren. The new piano in the Grammar school is invaluable in preparing the children for High school. Heretofore, they
22
have had no chorus practice with the piano accompaniment until they entered the High school, and both music work and the school were strange. It was too late to give them careful drill, and they must plunge in, doing the best they could.
"In the High school a male quartette has been started. There is abundant ability for both a boys' and a girls' glee club, but the problem of rehearsal time for a larger number of singers has not been solved. The quartette rehearsals will come at noon, just after school is dismissed, and the singers who live near each other can practice some during the week."
For the work in drawing you are referred to the report of the drawing supervisor.
COURSE OF STUDY REVISED.
During the summer vacation the courses of study in arithmetic and English were wholly rewritten and revised. Such revision is absolutely necessary from time to time if the schools are to be kept in line with the demands of the day. The work in arithmetic has been arranged under a minimum requirement plan and has been simplified by defer- ring to the upper grades subjects which were formerly taught in the intermediate grades, and by eliminating cer- tain other subjects which have become obsolete in the busi- ness world, or for which only the specialist would have any need. We are striving for a saner treatment of the subject, for greater facility in the simpler processes and in handling small numbers, and for greater accuracy in operations. For the large majority of our pupils the mathematical puzzle has been relegated to the past, where it rightfully belongs, while emphasis is laid upon the processes likely to be met with in every-day life.
The course in English has been worked out with consid- erable attention to detail, and here also an attempt has been
23
made to define a minimum requirement for all the schools. The study of formal grammar is postponed until late in the grades, while emphasis throughout is laid upon an ability to express thought in simple yet forceful language.
The courses in history and physiology are in the process of revision and will undoubtedly be ready before the end of the school year.
AGE AND SCHOOLING CERTIFICATES (WORKING CERTIFICATES. )
It seems necessary to refer again to the subject of work- ing certificates, a matter discussed at some length in my last report, and to emphasize the fact that these certificates can- not be issued to applicants under fourteen years of age, no matter how urgently the plea of necessity may be made. This is a matter in which no discretionary power is given the person authorized to sign the certificate, and he must be sat- isfied as to the applicant's age before the certificate can be issued. The steps necessary to obtain the certificate are as follows: Obtain from the teacher, or the superintendent, an employment ticket which must be signed by the intending employer. This ticket should then be taken to the school physician who will sign it, provided the applicant, in the opinion of said physician, is physically able to perform the work which he intends to do. The applicant, accompanied by a parent, guardian or custodian, should then apply in per- son to the superintendent. A certificate of birth, if obtain- able, should be presented to satisfy any question that may arise in regard to the applicant's age.
HOWARD HIGH SCHOOL.
The school began the year in September with an enrol- ment of 53 pupils, an increase of ten pupils or 23 per cent. over the enrolment of last year. The indications at present
24
are that there will be a large class to enter the school next September. This fact, coupled with the fact of a small class to graduate in June, means that the school will probably enrol more than seventy pupils next year. Such rapid increase in membership is very unusual and gives rise to problems of ad- ministration and control that demand serious consideration. Next year we shall need an additional room to be used as a study hall and recitation room combined. The room formerly occupied by the public library will be sufficient for this pur- pose.
Important changes have been made in the course of study by extending the diploma credits to music and draw- ing, and in extending the commercial work so as to include Commercial Law and Advanced Bookkeeping. At the same time we have raised the requirements for graduation so that in the future 68 points will be required.
The plans for our commercial work have thus far been only tentative and experimental, looking forward to the time when a complete business course, including typewriting and stenography, shall be offered to the boys and girls of our town. The time has now arrived for the introduction of such a course, and it is my recommendation that before next September a room shall be equipped for this purpose. In order to justify such an expenditure of money for equipment and teaching, the course must be made sufficiently exacting in its requirements to commend its graduates to the business world. It should be open only to such pupils as are willing to make the effort necessary to become successful stenograph- ers and bookkeepers, and none should be graduated from it but those whom we can recommend as competent and likely to succeed. It should not be, as business courses sometimes are, a refuge for the lazy pupil who hopes to graduate with the minimum amount of effort.
In the past our boys and girls have been obliged to seek their commercial training in outside schools, at a considerable expense for tuition and carfares. In consequence of this
25
expense a business training has been denied to some of the brightest and most promising grauduates of our Grammar school. As long as the High school remained small the num- ber of pupils likely to desire a commercial course was not large enough to justify the cost of equipment and teachers for this specialized line of work. Conditions have changed within a year or two, so that now we feel justified in making . the above recommendation as an act of justice to the many patrons of the school, who should not be obliged to send their children out of town to obtain the education necessary to fit them for a successful entry to the world of business.
REPORT OF THE SUPERVISOR OF DRAWING.
To the Superintendent of Schools, West Bridgewater, Mass.
Dear Sir :- The same plan of work has been followed this year as last year. I have met the teachers each month at the Center Grammar school, planned the lessons with them for the coming month and examined the drawings made by the children since my former visit. The work has been very satisfactory from the different schools and has given evidence of interest and enthusiasm by the pupils and teachers.
It has been my intention to plan a course in drawing which would be simple and practicable to the needs of every day life. There is nothing so essential to the success of the subject as to develop early in the mind of the pupil the belief that he can draw. Therefore, a large part of the course planned for the younger children is of an illustrative charac- ter and of a vital interest to the child. In picturing his games and plays he is slowly but surely developing his skill in drawing and becoming accustomed to using it as a means of daily expression, as in talking and writing.
At Christmas time we gave the girls in the upper grades a simple problem in stencilling a sofa pillow. This was an excellent beginning of a kind of work we need in our schools. I would like to do more of this, such as stencilliing table
26
scarfs, sash curtains, table mats and sewing bags if the material could be purchased by the girls. I would also like to plan a more extended course, than we give, in mechanical drawing for the ninth grade boys; so arranged that they colud work independently of each other and at such time as they may have at their disposal, in school and out. The total cost to each pupil for equipment and material need not be over two dollars. I believe if each boy bought his own equipment he would take a more personal interest and pride in the sub- ject and in his work than if it was purchased by the town. The course would begin with simple geometric problems and lead to the larger 'and more serious problems of machine drawing. It would be of such a nature that boys who do not later attend a high school where mechanical drawing is taught, could go on with the subject, if interested, by them- selves.
I wish to thank you and the teachers for your cordial support during the year.
Respectfully yours,
EDMUND KETCHUM, Supervisor of Drawing.
REPORT OF THE MEDICAL INSPECTOR.
To the School Committee and Superintendent of the Schools in the town of West Bridgewater:
It gives me pleasure to present my report as Medical Inspector in the public schools for the year 1911.
The most important work of medical inspection is the elimination of conditions favorable to the production of dis- ease. Many diseases formerly not considered "catching" are now proved to be contagious or infectious.
Inspection of the pupils during the last school year reveals the following:
27
DISEASES.
Total No.
Advised
Treatment
Treated
Improved
or Cured
EYES :-
Conjunctivitis,
2
1
2
2
EARS :---
Otitis media (Inflamation of middle ear),
2
2
2
2
Abscess,
3
1
3
3
NOSE AND THROAT :-
Adenoids and enlarged tonsils,
60
51
10
8
Slightly enlarged tonsils,
95
29
Deflected nasal septum,
3
3
SKIN :-
Eczema,
4
3
1
1
Scabies,
1
1
1
1
Urticaria,
4
Rhus poisoning (Ivy),
2
2
2
BONES AND JOINTS :-
GENERAL DISEASES :-
Anæmia,
6
6
5
3
Malaria,
3
3
2
1
Boils,
1
1
1
Sick headache,
15
3
Rheumatism,
3
Enlarged cervical glands,
7
3
2
1
Indigestion,
2
Valvular disease of heart,
1
NERVOUS AND MENTAL DEFECTS :--- Backward,
5
Defective speech (Stammering),
2
TEETH :-
Badly decayed,
123
26
17
17
PARASITIC :-
Pediculosis (Lice),
10
10
10
10
362
110
58
90
4
Slightly anaemic.
8
2
One hundred fifty-eight scholars were affilicted with ail- ments of the nose and throat, and 123 with badly decayed teeth, over two-thirds of the total number of diseased condi- tions found.
In order to prevent the spread of communicable diseases which these conditions engender the state passed the law compelling the use of individual drinking cups, a very wise law indeed. The presence of adenoids destroys the beauty of the voice. To have adenoids is to be unable either to sing, or speak correctly, and even the expression of the face is changed.
28
It was pleasing to find that 103 children have had their teeth well attended to during the year.
There has been one case of the dread disease anterior paliomyelitis (infantile paralysis) which happily recovered. Two cases of scarlet fever and the usual epidemics of measles, mumps and whooping cough have occurred. Not- withstanding, throughout the year the general health of the pupils has been above the average.
I wish to express my thanks to all connected with the schools for the courtesies and assistance extended me.
Respectfully submitted,
ELLIS S. LELACHEUR, M. D. School Physician.
West Bridgewater, Jan. 15, 1912.
CONCLUSION.
The following are the principal topics considered in this report:
1. Statistics.
2. Changes in teaching force.
3. New school building.
4. Rearrangement of grades.
5. Growth in school population.
6. Reasons for absence.
7. Revision of course of study.
8. Age and schooling certificates.
9. Work in music and drawing.
10. Howard High School.
11. Special Reports.
Respectfully submitted,
EDGAR HOMER GROUT, Superintendent of Schools.
West Bridgewater, Mass., Feb. 3, 1912.
Appendix A.
LIST OF TEACHERS FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR, 1911.
SCHOOLS.
TEACHERS.
WHEN FIRST APPOINTED.
WHERE EDUCATED.
Center
Grade IX
Rose L. MacDonald
1890
Grade VIII
Grace E. Downing
1902
Grades VI-VII
Agnes Shannon
1910
Grade VII
Agnes Shannon
Grades V-VI
C. Louise Williams
1910
Bridgewater Normal School
Grades VI-VII
SC. Louise Williams
1909
Tufts College
Grades III-IV
Nettie M. Woodbury
1907
Bridgewater Normal School
Grades III-V Grades I-II
SNettie M. Woodbury Mildred Packard
1905
Cochesett Grammar
Emma A. Morrow
1892
Cochesett Primary
Elizabeth L. Holton
1910
North Intermediate
1911
Hyannis Normal School
North Primary
¿Minnie C. Cole Amey C. Dyar Grace E. Dorman
1910
Salem Normal School
South
1909
Castine, Me., Normal School
East
Ellen M. O'Neil
1911
Bridgewater Normal School
Matfield
Mary A. Dewyer
1874
Jerusalem
Elizabeth A. Martin
1910
Music
Mildred S. Jones
1901
Drawing
Edmund Ketchum
1909
N. E. Conservatory of Music Mass. Normal Art School
+Nettie M. Woodbury
1907
Bridgewater Normal School
Bridgewater Normal School Taunton High School
*Not in service at end of year. +Transferred. #Since September. §Since November.
29
Bridgewater Normal School Castine, Me., Normal School Symond's Kindergarten Sch.
*Annie L. Danforth
Bridgewater Normal School Fitchburg Normal School Framingham Normal School
30
Appendix B.
TEACHERS IN SERVICE FEBRUARY 1, 1912.
TEACHERS.
Rose L. MacDonald,
Grace E. Downing,
Agnes Shannon,
C. Louise Williams, Nettie M. Woodbury,
Mildred Packard,
Emma A. Morrow,
Elizabeth L. Holton, Minnie C. Cole,
Amey C. Dyar,
Grace E. Dorman,
Ellen M. O'Neil,
Mary A. Dewyer,
Elizabeth A. Martin,
Mildred S. Jones,
Edmund Ketchum,
ADDRESS.
449 West Chestnut St., Campello West Bridgewater West Bridgewater West Bridgewater West Bridgewater 30 Tremont St., Campello Cochesett 10 Fellsway West, Somerville West Bridgewater West Bridgewater West Bridgewater Bridgewater Cochesett 22 Anawan St., Taunton 106 Chandler St., Boston 100 Mt. Pleasant Ave., Roxbury
31
Appendix C.
HOWARD HIGH SCHOOL.
COURSE OF STUDY FOR 1911-12.
College Preparatory Course.
General Course
First Year.
English (4) Latin (5)
Algebra (5) Freehand Drawing (1) Spelling (}) Music (})
English (4)
Algebra (5)
Commercial Arithmetic (4)
English History (3)
§ Physiology 1 (1}) Botany 2 (1}) Freehand Drawing (1) Spelling (}) Music (})
Second Year.
English (4) Latin (5) Algebra 1 (2) Geometry 2 (3) 1 French (4) Freehand Drawing (1) Spelling (}) Music (¿)
English (4) Algebra 1 (2)
Geometry 2 (3)
Medieval History (3) Physical Geography 1 (1}) Geology 2 (1}) Freehand Drawing (1) Book-keeping (4) Spelling (}) Music (})
32
Third Year.
English (4) Latin (5)
English (4) Chemistry (5)
Geometry (4) 2 French or German (4) Chemistry (5)
§ Commercial Law 1 (2) Advanced Bookkeeping 2(2) Greek and Roman History (3)
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